The Rt. Rev. George Sumner, Head of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas
The Rt. Rev. George Sumner was elected as the Seventh bishop for the Diocese of Dallas during a Special Convention in May 2015. His consecration was Nov. 14, 2015. As bishop he oversees the administrative needs throughout the diocese and is chief pastor for more than 31,000 Episcopalians, 200 clergy and 100 congregations.
Prior to his election, Sumner served as principal of Wycliffe College in Toronto, Canada. He was the dean of a growing seminary and was the chief administrator responsible for strategic planning; encouraging young, future priests; stewardship; building relations with bishops; and overseeing clergy's continuing education.
Ordained as an Episcopal priest in western Massachusetts in 1981, Sumner served in a variety of capacities: youth minister, missionary teacher in east Africa, curate in an inner-city Anglo-Catholic parish, vicar on a native American reservation in New Mexico and Arizona, and rector in a small town. Sumner has a Ph.D. in theology from Yale, and has written a book about priestly calling and a commentary on Daniel. He also has a M.Div. from Yale Divinity School and a B.A. from Harvard College.
Sumner and his wife, Stephanie, have two adult children.